Follow Me into the Darkness
by Stormie Greye
Summary: After the murder of her parents, young Seras Victoria is everything but alone: a mysterious, dark stranger with glowing red eyes has been watching over her, waiting. When she suddenly finds herself adopted by the Hellsing family, the ancient vampire just may have his opportunity to claim what is his. AU; AxS.
1. Prologue

**Author's Notes: **This idea has been playing around in my head for some time now, so I thought I'd try to bring it to life! There are so few stories on the site that feature Seras as a little girl and that focus on her childhood in detail. So, I hope you find the plot as interesting as it sounds in my head. Thanks in advance for the support, and enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Hellsing. This wonderful series belongs to its creator, Kouta Hirano. However, the orphanage's appearance and most of the minor characters I have completely made up to facilitate my story's plot. This is an AU after all.

**Rating:** T for now because of violence and language. May or may not change to M in later chapters. We all know that the Hellsing series itself is rated R - 17+ for the same reason, so please do not report me for sprinkling my chapters with the F-bomb here and there.

**Full Summary:** After the murder of her parents, young Seras Victoria emerges from the traumatic events as a fiery child with a penchant for violence. Labeled as a troublemaker at her orphanage, she constantly finds herself fighting with the other kids in order to survive. What she does not realize is that she is everything but alone: a mysterious, dark stranger with glowing red eyes has been watching over her, waiting. When Seras is suddenly adopted by the wealthy, noble Hellsing family, the ancient vampire just may have his opportunity to claim what is his. AU; AxS.

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**Follow Me into the Darkness**

**Prologue**

**Unearthly Guardian**

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It was barely eight in the morning when hell tore through the Victoria residence.

A young girl scanned the living room with sluggish eyes, looking for any signs of life, to no avail. She was alone in her misery, and the only company she had as she slowly bled to death was the noise of her screeching. Even so, the strain proved to be too much for her tiny throat as her shouts soon withered into a spasm of coughs, causing more blood to leak from the corners of her mouth.

Her body had almost entirely ceased functioning. No matter how stubbornly she pulled, she could only slide her weight across the floor a mere inch at a time. The pain in her side was immense and sent sharp electric shocks throughout her body each time she wriggled about.

The cold wooden boards felt marvelous against her cheek, and she ignored the sticky sensation of blood and tears smearing her face. Sleep tugged persuasively at her mind. If only she could rest her eyes there for just a moment...

"No...not like this..."

How many minutes had passed? The sun's warm summer rays filtered through the window but could not penetrate the chilling touch of death covering her skin. Her gaze locked on the telephone resting on top of the kitchen counter, but it was still so far away.

"I'm not...going to die..." she whispered, thrusting her arms forward as she continued to pull her body. Her voice became a chant as she moved in spite of the pain. "I don't want to...die...I'm not...going to die...I don't want to die...I'm not...going to..."

The girl froze in alarm as a tall figure unexpectedly entered her field of vision, his imposing figure blocking the kitchen doorway. She twisted her head upward, but at her angle, she could not gaze up high enough to see the stranger's face.

"You will be fine, little one." His deep voice resonated in her mind, and her heart clenched tight with emotion. Whoever this man was, his voice was so very comforting to her ears. Before she realized what she was doing, she extended her arm once more and grabbed hold of the stranger's boot.

Fresh tears escaped from her eyes. "Please...my parents...the bad men, they..."

"Your killers have been silenced," the stranger announced. "I have taken the privilege of executing your revenge. For one so young, you did quite the number on one of them."

Quiet, maniacal laughter echoed off the walls, and the girl shivered involuntarily as she questioned her judgment. How could she not have heard him approaching? The boots he was wearing would surely have created heavy footsteps.

"They had to pay..." was all she could reply.

Brows knitted together in labor, the girl struggled to roll her body until she was lying flat on her back. A wave of dizziness flooded her senses as her eyes tried to capture the stranger before her. Her vision was beginning to shatter, but she could make out a hunched, masculine figure. He was perched on one knee, looming quietly over her body as his eyes observed her.

"Do you...work with my dad...?"

"I have never met your father, but my resources informed me that he was a highly courageous and respectable policeman."

Her lips twitched in the tiniest of smiles at the stranger's compliment.

Despite the daylight flooding the room, the darkness was growing at a staggering rate, so impenetrable that the world had become enveloped within a sea of shadows. Or maybe she was just that close to death, and the world was closing in on her. All that accompanied her in the tight, black void were two radiantly glowing red orbs above her face.

"You have very pretty eyes, sir...Are they real...?" the girl asked, deliriously.

"As real as can be," the stranger all but purred.

"You're not like me...are you...?"

"How do you mean, little one?"

"...Human..."

"Indeed, I am not. You got me," he teased, lips breaking into a toothy grin.

"Are you here to take...me away, sir...?"

"The time is not right, little one." The stranger covered her hand within his own. She couldn't help but feel so petite and frail up against his impressive stature.

"What do you—" she began.

"The human paramedics are here," he interrupted. "Stay strong, Seras Victoria, and do not fear the darkness."

At this time, the girl was fighting to hold unto consciousness, but the sound of a door breaking open jolted her mind into overdrive. An influx of footsteps surged into the living room, and several voices pieced together over her head in an incoherent mess.

"Area looks clear—"

"Two casualties, one severely injured—"

"Shit, the chief—"

"Single gunshot wound to the chest—"

"Not the time to lose your composure, Murphy—"

"Signs of forced entry to the kitchen door—"

The girl groaned and curled into a ball as an unfamiliar presence settled next to her. She could feel hands and contraptions methodically prodding her body.

"Stay with me, sweetheart. How old are you?"

"I'm...I'm...almost seven..."

"Do you remember who are you?"

"...Seras..."

"Ok, Seras. My name is Daphne Price. Listen very carefully, all right? I'm going to lift you on this stretcher and get you to the hospital so we can take care of you. You're in safe hands, and you're going to pull through just fine, so try to relax for me."

"Where did...the man go...?"

"What man, darling?"

"There was a man...just before you...entered. He was...comforting me while you...were on the way..."

"Oh, sweetheart," the paramedic frowned while fixing her to the stretcher. "You must have dreamt it. There was no sign at all of other people when we got here. Stay with me, darling. Be a strong girl for me."

"No...I..."

The girl peered through half-closed eyes as she was rolled out the front door, but there was no sign of the stranger at all. Darkness had finally overpowered her mind, and she blacked out to the gentle sounds of birds and passing cars.


	2. Chapter 1

_Hi all! Many thanks to everyone who reviewed and/or followed my story! You guys are the best! I also sincerely apologize for the slow update. Lately, I've been either tired, working, or suffering from body aches/headaches due to work. I'm trying my best! I'm definitely delighted, though, to see that people are interested in this plot idea. Hopefully I will not be a disappointment. Enjoy!_

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Tyger! Tyger! burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

- William Blake

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**Follow Me into the Darkness**

**Chapter 1**

**Taming the Tiger**

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"You're fucking dead! You hear me, kid?"

Eight-year-old Seras Victoria ran like the wind personified, her petite but athletic legs carrying her faster than life as if she were trying to outrun the world and everything in it. The girl snuck a brief glance over her shoulder, and sure enough, a gang of at least five or six boys were shadowing her in the distance.

She weaved her body down hallways and around other children. Some bystanders stopped what they were doing to watch her retreating back with both fear and awe present in their expressions. A little boy about half her age unintentionally walked into her route, and as their gazes met, two things happened simultaneously. The boy clutched his stuffed animal closer to his chest as if it would protect him, his eyes bulging from fright. Seconds from impact, Seras whirled her body and successfully redirected her momentum, narrowly dodging him.

A nearby girl abandoned the conversation she was having with her friend to take hold of the boy's hand, pulling him away from the scene as swiftly as she could manage. Seras frowned to herself in disappointment but was happy she could at least prevent herself from trampling over the poor thing.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Sammy! Sorry, Ava! I didn't mean it!"

The girl known as Ava remained silent as she carried out her task, and the little boy simply buried his face into his stuffed teddy bear. Ava's friend stood quietly against the wall, glaring contemptuously at Seras for ruining their downtime.

Seras was used to the wide array of reactions that greeted her wherever she went. While certain kids tended to avoid her like the plague, many wanted to either participate in the ruckus or revel in the gossip that followed. But whatever the flavor of opinion, everyone was aware of the almost daily routine that took place on the premises. The lone girl could barely survive a day without going toe-to-toe with some punk or fleeing from the same group of bullies who believed they controlled the place.

Many children came and went with little to no difficulties, but Heart Lake School and Orphanage was no comforting shelter or ray of sunshine to her. No, the antiquated building with its dirty floors and worn off-white and sea green walls was more like an insane asylum. If that were the case, though, everyone would more than happily argue that she was the only child in residence who had mental problems of any sort. No one, faculty and child alike, took kindly to her.

But no bully or quiet observer could ever deny that she was not your typical little girl and, despite her tiny stature, was a dangerous force to face.

Her latest opponent and his obtuse friends were still persistent in chasing her.

Earlier in the day, one of the boys in the group had tormented her for an hour, following her wherever she went while calling her names. Even when the girl had sought for some peace in the female bathroom, he stood outside the door like a hawk until she re-emerged. When he ignored her pleas one too many times for him to leave her alone, she had repaid him with an impulsive right hook, which then resulted in a monstrous black eye.

He had obviously told his friends about what had happened and was looking for revenge.

Turning a corner, Seras cursed to herself as she spotted two teachers at the other end of the hallway occupied in chatter. She scanned her surroundings briefly before dashing into the nearest empty classroom. The desks inside were long tables that took up virtually the entire length of the room. Choosing one of the aisles in the middle, the girl sat behind one of the pushed in chairs to shield herself from view.

She was far enough ahead of the stampeding boys to buy herself some time alone.

Patches of wild blonde hair were plastered to her sweating forehead, so she swiped her hand up her face to prevent strands from poking her in the eyes. Adrenaline pumped steadily throughout her bloodstream as she listened to the rapid beating of her heart. Though she was out of breath, the girl liked to be active and enjoyed the happiness that exercise stimulated within her. It never failed to guide her into a tranquil, feel-good state of mind. She could feel every pulse point in her body throbbing almost painfully against her skin as she inhaled deeply and carefully to regulate her breathing.

Seras stretched out her body in one languid motion before drawing her knees to her chest, locking her legs within her arms and minimizing the amount of skin that touched the dusty floor. Using her legs as a makeshift pillow, she leaned her head against them and shut her eyes as she rested her muscles in silence.

The little she had eaten for dinner worked against her, and she felt her mind begin to doze off in the warm classroom.

"_Seras…"_

Even with her eyes closed, the girl could perceive an uncanny shadow that shouldn't have been there engulfing her figure whole before suddenly dissipating. She snapped to attention and raised her head, scrubbing at her eyes before scanning the room.

Everything looked normal. No one else was present, yet an odd mixture of musk, blood, and night flowers filled her nose. The scent, reminiscent of the night but indisputably masculine, seemed familiar to her somehow.

The small hairs at the back of her neck stood up in warning, and goosebumps erupted along her arms. But this did not exactly frighten the girl. For the past week, Seras was starting to witness unexplained ghostly occurrences at random occasions whenever she was alone.

She was wholeheartedly convinced that she was being haunted by something. For what, she had no idea. As for why, maybe she was the only one who might listen.

Though she was initially alarmed, a voice at the back of her mind told her that no harm would come to her. Needless to say, the girl's speculations about her experiences merely gave her supervisors another reason to believe that she was troubled and needed treatment.

The sound of cracking glass made her browse the row of windows along the side wall. On one of the panes, a single hairline fracture had danced across the surface before dispersing into cobweb-like patterns.

Seras rose from her hiding place and advanced toward the damaged window.

The evening was growing increasingly black outside. The sun had already set, but the sky had not yet reached full dark. She could see the moon low on the horizon, the nearly full sphere blazing with an eerie shade of molten red.

"What the bloody hell is going on around here..." the girl muttered to herself.

She looked down upon the land and had a good view of the area from the second floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the silhouette of a tall figure circling around the side of the building. Until that moment, the girl had never been so close to discovering the source of her bizarre experiences. She desperately wanted to call out into the night, pleading for the figure to reveal itself or to provide her with answers, but a lingering thread of fear made her hesitate and grip the edges of the window sill until her knuckles turned white from the strain.

"Liam! She's in here!"

Seras jumped in surprise at the sudden sound of voices coming from behind her and snapped her head to the doorway as her pursuers began to pool inside the room.

"There you are, kid," Liam sneered. "You beat up my friend's face here pretty badly, so I think it would only be fair to return the favor."

The gang of boys split into a semi-circle around the classroom. Liam, the oldest and self-proclaimed leader of the gang, was at the center of the formation. He made the first move by taking a few steps in her direction.

Seras hated to get cornered. There was too much furniture in the area to be conducive for fighting. Though she would gladly take the opportunity to whack at everyone with a chair, she was bound to receive the most damage with only two arms against twelve. But she couldn't stall the entire night, just like the boys couldn't chase her all night. If she didn't face them tonight, they would surely be after her fresh in the morning. If she battled it out now, she'd at least have a brief interlude of peace before someone tried to start trouble with her again.

She growled to herself in frustration and glanced at the damaged window behind her with an expression of consideration. Having to make a hasty decision, she could think of only two options. She could either stay where she was and undoubtedly face defeat, or...

A provoking smile graced the blonde's lips. Yes, perhaps she was a bit on the crazy side.

Liam faltered, his face breaking out into an uncertain frown. "There's nowhere to go. We can do things the easy way, or you can choose to make things hard. Whatever suits that weird mind of yours."

Seras swiftly unlocked and opened the window, hoisting her tiny body up on the ledge. She took one last glimpse at the group of boys, an odd twinkle of determination setting her eyes aflame.

"Come at me if you have the guts, losers," she challenged before propelling her body forward and effectively throwing herself out the window.

The gang stared dumbfounded as they gathered around the open frame in time to see Seras land a little shakily on her feet. The building was not incredibly high, but the jump was still an impressive, don't-try-this-at-home stunt.

Once her feet touched the ground, Seras winced at the pain that erupted within her knees. She wobbled about momentarily, attempting to regain her balance. Once she was confident that she wouldn't tip over, she sprinted a few feet away from the building and turned her attention back to the raised classroom. The pain in her knees faded into a pleasant numbness, and the girl could only hope that her legs would function properly in the morning.

"Well? What are you guys waiting for? Or are you all just a bunch of chickens?"

"I'm telling you, she's not normal, dude. She's like Catwoman or some shit..." one of the boys blurted out absentmindedly.

Liam raised his leg on the window sill and heaved his body up until he was sitting securely on the frame. "I think you're just being a pansy. She's just a little girl, and I'm definitely not gonna let her get the best of me."

Seras crouched in anticipation as the older boy slid out the window. She darted forward to intercept his landing, head-butting him in the stomach and sending him tumbling to the ground.

"What the—"

The blonde maneuvered her landing as she fell on top of Liam, shoving her knees hard into his stomach. While the surprised boy had to take a few moments to piece together his surroundings, she seized the opportunity to claw at his face with her mildly lengthened nails, drawing blood with some of her nicks.

"Are you out of your mind?" one of the boys bellowed from above as another hollered in unison. "No way! I'm taking the stairs!"

"Nice friends you have there," Seras teased him.

"I don't need anyone to be able to pummel you into the dirt, pip-squeak!" Liam retorted, snatching her wrists within his hands and throwing her a couple feet to the side.

As the older boy rose from the ground and made a move to strike her with his foot, the blonde somersaulted in front of his legs like a bowling ball, making Liam lose his balance and trip over her body. At fifteen, the leader of her tormentors was one of the oldest kids at the orphanage. The boy was tall and built like a swimmer, but he did not have much else to use at his advantage. Though she probably couldn't win a game of arm wrestling against him, Seras always managed to invent creative ways to hold her ground against their unfair fights.

Once Liam hit the grass, Seras sprung to her feet and yanked at his dark brown hair, trying to pull his body across the yard. But she was not able to move far. As the sound of heavy footsteps reached her ears, she turned her head only to get ambushed by the rest of the gang. The blonde fell roughly against Liam, and the boys buried her and their leader beneath their combined weight.

The pile of bodies dispersed after a few moments of scurrying around on the ground, and Seras instinctively shielded the back of her head with her hands. A multitude of fists came bashing down on random areas of her body, and she took the beating as well as she could manage as she waited for an opening to take the offensive.

She thrashed her legs about blindly, hoping to hit anything of importance. A few of the boys made sounds of pain and annoyance, and she rolled to the side when the punching wavered. Her eyes scanned the scene briefly before she shoved her own fist into the nearest boy's stomach, driving him into the dirt.

Before she could make another move, Seras felt someone grab her arms and pull them behind her back. A hand buried itself painfully within her naturally spiked hair, pushing her down to her knees and holding her head in place.

"Liam, go for it, bud!" The voice belonged to the boy that she had injured earlier in the day.

The blonde flinched as the vengeful boy kept wrenching at her hair. Liam towered over her and swung his fist straight into her eye just as she had shut them in apprehension. The pain was immediate, and when she re-opened them, only one opened fully. She was too aware of her injured eye as it quickly swelled from the force of the attack.

The boys were laughing at her, she realized. Seras had done all the damage she could, but the blonde knew that she wouldn't be able to do much more because of how constrained she was. That didn't stop her from swinging her leg backwards and kicking one of her captors right in the balls.

"You little bitch!"

Liam hit her again, this time in the stomach. Her body was released, and Seras toppled to the grass in shock as all the air was knocked out of her. The girl curled up into the fetal position as she tried to learn how to breathe again.

When she no longer felt like she was being suffocated, she looked up and was surprised to see Liam as she did. He stood there frozen in apparent fear, his fist hovering in the air as if he had been aiming to punch her again.

Her blood ran cold when she heard the low reverberations of growling coming from behind her.

A great mass of black fur jumped into her line of vision and descended upon Liam's body with alarming speed. The impact sent the stunned boy sliding against the grass until shortly coming to a complete halt. What looked like a large dog loomed over him, but Liam was already knocked unconscious by the initial hit to his head.

The rest of Liam's friends watched in dread before shouting in unrestrained terror. They abandoned their unconscious leader without a second thought, bolting as fast as they could toward the building's back entrance.

Seras rose into a sitting position and scooted back a few inches, unsure of what to do. She understood their fear when the beast turned its head to look at her. The gigantic dog was breathtakingly beautiful with its shaggy, midnight raven fur, but she let out a screech of her own as her gaze took in the four sets of blood red eyes that resided on its face.

She felt her heart skip a beat as the animal advanced upon her. It placed each paw slowly and carefully upon the yard, circling around her body before settling on its haunches in front of her. Each of its paws had to have been at least twice the size of her hands. Although both were sitting, the eight-year-old girl looked like a kitten in comparison to the beast's thick, muscular frame.

The dog regarded her with unnerving intelligence in its eyes, as if it could understand anything she said and more.

"Good boy..." she breathed nervously, eyes as wide as tiny saucers.

When nothing happened, Seras extended a trembling hand to rest upon the beast's head.

Before she could touch the dog's seemingly soft fur, the girl flinched as the back doors swung open. The director and headmaster of the orphanage, Mr. Addison, accompanied by a couple of the faculty members emerged from the building. Liam's friends were conveniently hiding behind the adults.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Seras slowly rotated her head back to the large animal, only to discover that she was alone. Alone, in the backyard after curfew and with Liam's unconscious body. The beast was nowhere to be found.

"Seras, I would like to see you in my office."

The accusatory tone shot straight through her heart. The young girl nearly succumbed to tears as she stared dismally at the grass beneath her, wondering how she could possibly explain herself this time around.


	3. Chapter 2

_Like always, many thanks to everyone for the continued support, and I apologize for the wait! I didn't mean to take an entire month to post just one chapter. September started out as a mess for me when I had to deal with the unexpected chaos that Hurricane Isaac created. Life continued on like usual about two weeks into the month, but by then I had taken a two-week hiatus from writing, and my work hours had increased to compensate for everything that the storm had delayed. I know I'm already a fairly slow updater as it is because of my normal work schedule, but this interruption naturally knocked me off track. I've been busy since then, so I've only been able to write bits and pieces at a time during any given day. I hope everyone enjoys this next installment! My chapters will vary in length, but this one will definitely be one of the longer chapters. Thanks for remaining patient with me!_

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**Follow Me into the Darkness**

**Chapter 2**

**Phantom of the Orphanage**

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Seras fidgeted anxiously in a chair that squeaked every time she shifted her position. Although she kept her head relatively still, her eyes darted about the office as if she were trailing a fly's erratic movements. The ticking of the wall-mounted clock was the only other sound to cut through the tense silence while her judge, jury, and executioner examined the paperwork that represented her file.

As director and headmaster of the orphanage, Mr. Addison was a middle-aged man with snowy white hair, a thin frame, and a grim disposition. Though he always dressed in long sleeves and kept his quarters like a sauna, he never failed to find himself chilled to the bone. Seras peeked inconspicuously through her bangs at the man before lowering her gaze to her lap. The sticky layer of sweat on her skin was a testament to the heat perpetually contained within the confined area.

Mr. Addison frowned at her, pale green eyes examining her hunched figure with an icy stare. "You should know very well by now that violence is not acceptable at this institution."

"Yes, sir," the blonde said mechanically.

"And neither is telling lies, so let's go over this once more."

Seras balled her hands into fists and clenched the thin material of her skirt. She could feel his eyes on her no matter how purposefully she stared at her lap, and the vibes he was sending her just succeeded in making her more nervous.

The two had been at it for nearly fifteen minutes, and the girl was not wrong in doubting that someone would take her side. "I already told you, sir. There was a huge black dog. It had to have come from the woods, but it looked nothing like a wolf. And it—it had _red eyes_. I know what I saw..."

She hesitated, unable to confess just how many eyes she had counted on the beast's face. Trying to validate creepy red eyes to an adult who already thought she was mentally unstable was more than enough work. "I guess—it must have gone mad. It jumped on Liam and knocked him out. I had nothing to do with it. You must have scared it off when you pushed the doors open."

The older man sighed tiredly and tapped his pen a few times against his desk. "Even if a dog was really there—and I didn't see anything run off—it could not have had red eyes under any circumstances, Seras. To say such a thing, I think, is a cry for help," he refuted while scribbling some words on one of the papers sprawled beneath his arms.

"I know what I saw," the blonde insisted, furrowing her brows together.

"So you're going to stick to this story?"

"Yes, sir. I'm really not lying. Because I was facing Liam, he saw it first. He was looking at something past me that I couldn't see, and he seemed very frightened. That's when I saw it jump over me."

"Very well. And do you think, by any chance, that this unusual dog is connected to the 'strange encounters' you say that you've been witnessing as of late?"

Seras remained silent, sucking in her bottom lip and biting down on the skin until specks of blood began to well to the surface. So he really didn't believe her. She could barely believe herself, so she guessed she couldn't get that upset. Did the headmaster already talk with some of the boys, and if so, what did they admit to him? Were they so terrified that they were going to pretend that nothing happened? With trembling hands, Seras loosened her fists and smoothed out her crinkled skirt.

"I suppose, there has to be some truth in what you say..." Mr. Addison interjected wistfully before trailing off unexpectedly into silence.

The girl raised her head in curiosity to look at the headmaster. As she locked gazes with him, however, she immediately regretted it. He regarded her with a mixture of emotions, none of which made her feel at ease. Wariness, denial, apprehension, irritation. Was that fear she also saw in his eyes?

Mr. Addison cleared his throat before continuing with renewed confidence. "In the end, there is nothing that will prevent your misdeeds from being sentenced, Seras, as I'm afraid I can no longer overlook them. You do admit to attacking Liam before this 'dog' appeared and to giving Zachary that black eye?"

"They started it," Seras murmured, deciding not to question his actions and get into even more trouble. "I was minding my own business. I always do. I just...I want to be left alone."

"Are you sure they weren't just being boys? It seems as if they tried to make friends with you. Perhaps you've misunderstood their intentions."

"What?" the girl bellowed incredulously. "They hate me! All they do is pick on me! Can't you see that they hit me too?"

"Do not raise your voice at me, Seras Victoria. Sit back down." Mr. Addison's infuriated tone sent a wave of panic flooding through her body. The man looked about ready to pop, and his reddened face alone rendered Seras momentarily speechless.

Sit back down? The blonde blinked once as her mind registered his words. Looking down, she saw that she was standing rigidly in front of her seat, fists clenched tightly by her sides. She must have risen in a moment of anger while she was shouting, and her eyes slowly widened at the realization that she had lost control. Although a tough display of fury sometimes helped her in keeping her bullies at bay, she knew fully well that she could never win a fight against an adult who controlled her life.

The girl rapidly released her fists and plopped back down in her chair, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I—I'm sorry, sir," was all she said in response.

The headmaster gathered all the papers on his desk into one stack. "Do not forget that I have chosen to keep you here despite your antics. I could hand you off to a psychiatric ward right now and be done with you, but I understand that sometimes children's imaginations can run wild. Do not indulge in this nonsense, Seras, and I will give you one more chance. You've been with us for nearly two years. You will never get anywhere nor will you find yourself adopted until you change your attitude."

Unable to say anything without fear of losing her temper again, the blonde simply nodded her head.

"Now, as for your punishments, I am going to assign you some of the daily housekeeping chores for the next two months. Since we also like to value our teachers for being with us, you will act as their aid should they need a helper in the classroom. If your mannerisms do not improve, Seras, I will have to use more extreme measures, so please do not disappoint me again."

Seras glowered miserably at Mr. Addison's desk. Overcome with fatigue, the girl had finally begun to tune his voice out as he rambled away. She idly raised her hand to prod at the bottom of her wounded eye, but as her fingers ghosted over the swollen skin, she immediately withdrew. Touching the still sensitive area offered nothing more than odd sensations and shooting pains.

The only thought that came to her mind in that moment was the unanswerable question of why had her life ended up like this?

_I'm not a bad person..._ These words became a silent mantra that she repeated over and over again, as if trying to convince herself. Seras _wanted_ to make new friends, but no one would play with her. She _strived_ to look out after the kids who needed help, but they shied away from her. Above all else, she _dreamed_ about becoming someone important like her dad, but no one would listen to her.

It seemed like ages ago when she was but a naïve child in a happy and simplistic world. The young girl yearned for the pleasant days when she walked hand-in-hand with her parents at the park or in the city, but those days were lost to her. Not even two years had passed since then, and she had been forced to carry herself alone from the beginning, harboring a mending state-of-being with no room or encouragement to thrive. At times like these, she was just about ready to be done with everything.

Her good eye stung with unshed tears, but Seras refused to let them fall. She had to be strong. Her fall from innocence was not an easy ride, but ever since her childhood had come to an unexpected end, a relentless voice had materialized at the back of her head to continuously advise her not to give up. And that's exactly what she tried to do with every fiber of her being, even though most of her efforts landed her into hot trouble.

A sudden rap at the door interrupted Mr. Addison's lecture and jolted Seras back into reality. She slowly twisted her head, staring at the wall beside the doorway as a younger man, whom she recognized as her science and math teacher, entered the office. Without so much as a glance at her, the teacher approached the side of the headmaster's desk.

Seras slouched awkwardly into the noisy chair as she tried to make herself as invisible as possible. The last thing she wanted was to end the night looking like she was eavesdropping on the men's hushed conversation. All the same, she still caught bits and pieces of whispers that sparked her attention, so the blonde listened to what she could while holding herself as still as a statue.

"_Sir—she might be right—"_

"_What did you—"_

"_Well, there were—coming from the woods—"_

"_And?"_

"—_started from nowhere—"_

Their conversation came to a halt as Mr. Addison hastily rose from his seat, which only alarmed Seras. "That's enough for tonight, Seras. I have other matters I need to address before the end of the night. Go get yourself cleaned up, and afterward head straight for the dormitory. Your first chores will begin in the morning, so be sure to get some rest."

"Umm, y-yes, sir..." Frozen in place, Seras watched the two like a deer caught in headlights. The manner in which Mr. Addison was holding himself reminded her of the way he looked at her just minutes before, only with added tension. Her teacher appeared pale and frightened as he patted his face with a handkerchief, careful to avoid eye contact with her.

"Right now, Seras," the headmaster growled impatiently when she did not move.

"R-right," the girl mumbled. "Sorry." She jumped up and walked in a failed casual fashion out of the office. Stealing one last peek inside the room, she closed the door on the two disturbed men and hurried away to do as she was told.

* * *

Luckily the female bathroom was empty, so Seras had the entire space to herself and with forty minutes to spare. All of the children in residence had a scheduled bedtime of ten. By this time of night, most of the girls had probably migrated to the dormitory to chat before lights out.

The blonde loner gazed hopelessly at her reflection in the mirror as she soaked a small rag beneath the faucet.

"Blimey, Seras, you look like some ridiculous raccoon..." she lamented, studying her face from different perspectives.

Though she tried to focus on other things, Seras could not ignore the damaged eye that stared back at her for the first time that evening. The eye looked far worse than it actually felt, which was pretty bad considering that although the pain had begun to subside, she was still much too aware of the throbbing in and around her head. The surrounding skin, which had erupted into various shades of black, purple, and blue, was still swollen in a way that overwhelmed the area and prevented the lid from opening.

Seras let out a slow breath and fixed her attention on the running water as she scrubbed her hands clean of dirt.

She hated to sound paranoid, but everyone at the orphanage was undeniably either nuts or out to get her. If only the faculty members _would_ follow through with their so-called threats and transfer her to another orphanage. She lived in this "high-end" institution only because her father had been the highly revered Chief of Police. Other orphanages in the city of London may not have offered her as much in the necessities, but any other place would most probably treat her nicer. No, the bastards who kept her here only did so to give her hell in private and to come across to society as kindhearted caretakers willing to go the extra mile. They disgusted her far more than her bullies ever would.

Taking the wet cloth, Seras washed her face and relished the cool, refreshing water.

Rolling around in the yard had not improved her typical raggedy exterior. She shook the leaves and grass out of her hair, causing the already spikey strands to stand up wilder than usual. After attacking her hair with a brush, she was able to subdue the unruly mess at least a little.

It was too late to take a regular shower, so the blonde opted to wipe off the dirt from her arms and legs in front of the sink area, wincing as she realized that certain spots were sore to the touch. She changed out of her outfit into a pair of slightly worn but clean pajamas, noting the new formations of bruises on her skin.

Once she was as satisfied as she was going to get, she gripped the sides of the sink and gazed down at the tiled floor as she felt the remainder of her energy seep out of her muscles.

"I'm so tired..." the girl mouthed inaudibly.

Seras actually began to doze off in that position until something odd and furry brushed over her foot. A fresh jolt of adrenaline awakened her senses, and her one eye snapped open. The scene that greeted her was what had to have been dozens of rats scurrying about her feet. Some of the rodents advanced closer, propping miniature paws up on her ankle as if to climb her leg. The pack of twitching furballs stared up at her with beady red eyes.

"Huh? You've got to be kidding me!" The girl shrieked at the top of her lungs, jumping up and down as she shook her legs to rid herself of the clingy critters. She bolted toward the door, but her slippery foot slid across the tile, and she stumbled backward to the ground, bumping her head in the process.

"Owww! Bloody hell..." Seras groaned, trying to recollect her surroundings. She blinked away the haze from her vision, but before she was able to get anywhere, she felt hundreds of tiny limbs ascending upon her figure from different directions. Long whiskers trailed the length of her body, tickling her legs, her stomach, and then her chin. The blonde panicked, covering her face with her arms and thrashing wildly about the ground. "No, no, no, I don't like rats! Get off me! Get off, get off, get _off_!"

"_What_ the bloody hell is going on in here?"

Startled by the unanticipated company, Seras shot up into a sitting position and grimaced at the worsening pain in her head. She turned her gaze to spot a teenage girl with curly, dark brown hair standing in the doorway.

Seras sat there comically, gaping at the girl with a single widened cerulean eye, until she realized that there was no movement around her. Flustered, she patted down her body and scanned every inch of the enormous washroom that she could see, but no rats met her sight. For a moment, the blonde could do nothing more than listen to the sound of her heart thudding within her chest.

"Libby!" she exclaimed pathetically once she was able to speak. "Ummm...there was just—there were a bunch of rats crawling all over me!"

The brunette clenched her jaw in an irritated gesture before rolling her eyes in response. "Oh, Seras, you can be such a freak sometimes...and here I thought something was actually wrong. Don't ever do that again! What a waste of time..."

"I'm being serious!" Seras hollered adamantly, slamming the palm of her hand against the ground in emphasis.

"Yeah, well, you certainly smell like one," Libby jeered halfheartedly. "I guess that makes you right." The teen wandered off, leaving the blonde to her own devices and letting the door swing to a close on its own.

Seras scowled dismally at the floor before she eventually rose to her feet and gathered her belongings. Sighing to herself, she smoothed out the wrinkles in her pajamas and trudged out of the bathroom.

The walk to the girls' dormitory was a quick and simple one. She never failed to find consolation in the fact that, for obvious reasons, the boys' dormitory was situated at the opposite side of the building. She weaved a path through the nursery, grinning at some of the slumbering infants, before entering the sleeping quarters.

As she strolled down the long aisle of bunk beds, she also passed by the clusters of gossiping girls. Though the chatter did not cease entirely, Seras instantly heard the noise diminish by several notches. She sensed multiple gazes burning into her back as she moved further away from the door. Stopping beside one of the bunks, she placed her clothes into one of the drawers that she shared with her bunkmate and plopped down on the bottom mattress.

While stretching out the stiffness in her neck, Seras cast a challenging glance around the room. All of the girls had quieted down and were practically glowing with the need for a little entertainment. Libby, on the other hand, turned her back on the crowd and pulled her sheets over her head.

A tiny girl about five or six-years-old gradually edged her way closer to Seras. The child's large, owlish glasses accentuated the scared but eager glimmer in her eyes. "What happened today, Seras?" she asked with genuine interest.

"Leave her alone, Lily," one of the teen girls chastised. "Anything she has to say is far from a bedtime story."

"But I believe her!" Lily cried. A few hesitant voices agreed sheepishly with the child.

"You're right, Madison," Seras agreed. "I have no bedtime stories to tell because it's all the truth."

"Oh? And I'm sure you're going to put all the blame on your ghosts for hurting Liam?" Madison accused.

"That sounds about right. I did scratch him up pretty good though," the blonde answered with a nonchalant shrug.

"Well, I've already talked to Zach and some of the others," divulged the teen. "They say you've really gone mad."

"Why don't you ask Liam what happened in the morning then?" Seras dared.

Before Madison was able to respond, another voice intervened. "Please tell me you've finally been kicked out?"

Seras cocked her head incredulously and settled her attention upon the meddler, recognizing her as Ava's friend. Ava, the ever quiet one, was sitting discreetly beside the irate girl, a mass of auburn-colored hair shielding her expression from all onlookers.

"I'm not going anywhere, Scarlett," Seras assured her confidently.

"Continue acting like you are, and we'll see about that," Scarlett threatened. "When are you going to stop being such a brat, grow up, and quit telling us garbage? You should be ashamed of yourself for hyping everyone else up for no reason at all."

Seras bounced off the mattress in a flash and strode angrily toward the girl. Furrowing her brows together, she surprised everyone by giving the older girl a good old-fashioned slap across the face. Some of the observers giggled at the scene while others simply dropped their jaws in disbelief. Ava tensed up beside the two quarrelling girls, but she neither moved nor said anything.

"You can believe me or not, but don't call me a liar like that," the blonde warned. "Let's be perfectly honest, ok? You don't have to tell me all the time that everyone here hates me. I'm not stupid. Now I ask you, can you tell me _one_ good reason why I would _purposely_ give everyone another reason to hate me if I wasn't telling the truth and just wanted all of you to leave me alone?"

Scarlett gawked at Seras in a trance, cupping her hand over her assaulted cheek.

"You just got schooled by a kid," Madison snickered, breaking the silence and earning herself a vicious glare from Scarlett.

Seras would have delivered more than a mere slap to Madison had she gotten the chance.

"Is there a problem in here?"

Everyone snapped their heads to the doorway as Ms. Pendry, otherwise known as the orphanage's nurse, peeked inside the room.

"No, Ms. Pendry," was the predominant reply.

"That's good to hear. In that case, it's time for lights out," the nurse announced. "Everyone into bed, please."

After a moment of exchanging various facial expressions, everyone accepted that all conflict had been postponed for the night. As groups began to break apart, each girl scattered about the area before settling into her own appointed bed.

"Good night, dears," the nurse ended before flipping out the lights and shutting the door.

Seras adjusted her eyes to the sudden blackness before lying down. The mattress felt heavenly as she molded her body into a comfortable position. Snuggling herself into the covers, she let herself succumb to one of those deep, exhausted slumbers.

No one had noticed the solitary rodent that had lingered near the blonde's bed. Once stillness filtered through the room, the rat scampered off to the nearest wall, phasing through the solid material and descending smoothly down the length of the building. Reuniting with the others in the yard, the rats coagulated together as they were devoured in shadow matter. Dark, resonant laughter filled the night as a tall man emerged from the fusion. The stranger raised his gaze to peer at one of the second-story windows from beneath a wide-brimmed hat.

"You may not remember me, little one, but we will meet again soon."


End file.
